Originally Posted by
casper64
The question remains: how important is all this “cruise” stuff.... you can take a Hercules for that part. For a tactical helicopter you need surviveability, agility, low costs, small footprint, good OGE power margins, low, easy maintenance... that kind of stuff and yes maybe a bit quicker than the one it is replacing....
How exactly do you plan an air assault mission to land a Hercules without an airstrip? That argument falls flat on its face instantaneously.
You also forgot about range, unsurprisingly. That has exponential cascading effects on logistical footprint.